Scania introduces first ethanol-powered trucks
Scania has announced that, after 20 years of providing ethanol buses, the Swedish company (owned by Volkswagen) is going to sell ethanol trucks from the next model year onwards. The marque also announced agreements to build a network of fueling stations to make it easily available for small businesses to buy the biofuel. According to Scania's data, ethanol produced from sugarcane can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent compared to a regular diesel engine. Scania stated that it's betting on ethanol because it's the most cost-efficient biofuel available.
What you might find interesting is that Scania's technology makes engines work according to the diesel principle (compression-ignition). This allow the engines to be as efficient as diesel units. Scania's ethanol contains 5-7 percent special additives that improve ignition and lubrication. Most current flex-fuel engines compatible with ethanol use the otto cycle with lower efficiency. Current ethanol-powered buses by Scania are already running in countries such as Norway, Spain, Italy, Poland, United Kingdom, China, Australia and Brazil.
[Source: Scania]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joseph 11:36PM (4/16/2008)
"What you might find interesting is that Scania's technology makes engines work according to the diesel principle (compression-ignition)."
Wouldn't that be considered a breakthrough technology. If ethanol could be burned more efficiently than gasoline, that would make up for its lower energy content. That would be a big step forward.
I've never heard of ethanol being burned by compression. Is this a new or old technology? If so, wouldn't automakers want to use it?
Reply
Kevin Nugent 7:40PM (4/16/2008)
Nice job . I like the "we only sell ethanol vehicles" motto
Reply